CompanionIndex Evaluation Methodology

Evaluation Philosophy

CompanionIndex begins with publicly available information that readers can inspect, including official product pages, documentation, policies, and pricing materials. Product facts remain separate from editorial interpretation, and each factual record includes a verification date.

We do not invent account activity, conversations, user experiences, popularity figures, or test results. When an assessment is based only on public information, the page says so. CompanionIndex does not publish an editorial score until the supporting criteria, evidence, review date, and limitations are documented.

Evaluation Criteria

Conversation

Conversation Quality considers documented conversational capabilities, continuity claims, response controls, and the evidence available for any editorial observation.

Memory

We examine whether the product documents saved details, memory controls, correction or deletion options, and the limits of its memory features.

Customization

Customization covers documented character creation, personality settings, appearance controls, prompts, story worlds, and related configuration options.

Features

Features may include voice, image generation, roleplay capabilities, content controls, account settings, and other functions confirmed for a specific platform and date.

Platforms

Platform Experience records confirmed web, iOS, and Android availability and notes meaningful differences only when official sources support them.

Privacy

Privacy analysis reviews accessible policies, disclosed data practices, account controls, and deletion information. It is not a security certification or legal opinion.

Pricing

Pricing and Value consider verified plan structure, free access, billing periods, and documented feature limits. Unconfirmed prices are omitted rather than estimated.

Comparison Methodology

Comparison pages use six consistent dimensions: Features, Memory, Customization, Platforms, Pricing Model, and Privacy Information. Each side describes documented product information without turning missing evidence into a negative conclusion.

A comparison does not require a winner. A structured value of winner: null means CompanionIndex has not made a subjective overall judgment for that comparison point. It does not mean the products are identical.

Ranking Methodology

CompanionIndex uses the label Editorial Selection for curated product lists. These pages are not user rankings, automated scoreboards, or popularity charts. Inclusion is based on publicly documented product information, relevance to the page criteria, source quality, and editorial standards.

List order does not imply a numbered ranking, preferred winner, or guaranteed recommendation unless a future page publishes a clearly documented and visible evaluation method supporting that conclusion.

Data Sources

Our preferred sources are:

• Official product websites and product pages.
• Official help centers and support articles.
• Official documentation and product updates.
• Official privacy policies, terms, and other legal pages.

We do not use fabricated user data, unverified rankings, or unsupported third-party conclusions as product facts. Independent sources may provide context in future research, but important product claims should remain traceable to an appropriate source and verification date.

Updates and Freshness

Sources are rechecked as part of the editorial maintenance process. When products change their features, supported platforms, policies, or pricing, CompanionIndex updates the relevant records after verification. Visible last-updated and last-verified dates help readers understand how current the information is.

Affiliate Disclosure

Some outbound links may become affiliate links. A commercial relationship does not determine whether a product is included, how its limitations are described, or the conclusions of an editorial page. Commercial links use a shared disclosure-aware component and do not change the evidence standards applied to the content.